Jose Mourinho blasts his Chelsea players after feeling 'betrayed' in Leicester City defeat

Jose Mourinho admitted he felt betrayed by his players after Chelsea's defeat to Leicester

 

JOSE MOURINHO felt “betrayed” by his Chelsea players after giving up on a top-four finish last night.

 

Mourinho tore into his under-performing players saying he was “ashamed” following their ninth defeat of the season at Leicester.

The champions’ woeful season plunged to new depths with Mourinho launching a verbal attack in his admission that any chance of reaching a Champions League spot is over.

He said: “We conceded two goals that were unacceptable. One of my best qualities is to read the game, read the opponent and identify everything about them for my players.

"I feel like my work was betrayed. 



Chelsea's players looked dejected during the defeat

“When you have some players, especially in some crucial positions don’t reach that level, it’s difficult. 

“All last season I did phenomenal work and I brought them to a level which is not their level.

"It’s more than they really are. All this season we are doing so bad that the players, not all of them of course, makes it so, so difficult.”

Asked if the top four is now beyond Chelsea who are 14 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United, Mourinho added: “Yes, it clearly is.

"We can’t finish in the top four but we can still finish in the top six as so many teams are dropping points. At the moment we are in a zone where I feel ashamed.”

 

Eden Hazard limps off just after the half-hour mark

Chelsea’s spectacular fall from grace has left Mourinho fighting to save his job.

But he said: “I want to stay and I hope Mr Abramovich and the board want me to stay.

“When some of your players don’t hit the levels they are capable of it is hard to see. This season we are doing so bad for some reason.

“To turn things around, I know only one way, working at the top level. Day by day in training I have no complaints with them.

"But it is frustrating to see what they are doing in training and what they do in matches.”

 

Leicester moved back to the top and Riyad Mahrez, who scored his 11th goal of the season, says his team-mates are full of confidence.

“I don’t know if anyone can stop me but I need to do my best for the team," Mahrez said.

"The most important thing is the performance of the team. We played a great game and deserved the win. I have a lot of confidence.”

Asked if Leicester were safe, he said: “We’re not definitely. We need 40 or 42 points for that.”

Foxes skipper Wes Morgan feels the Algerian winger is the Premier League’s best player, saying: “He has been a massive influence this season.

"He has assists, goals and special moments. He’s given defenders nightmares and deserves all the accolades coming his way.”